Elsie A. McLaren

An update of mortality among chemical workers exposed to benzene.

Mortality was updated to the end of 1982 for 594 employees exposed to benzene who had been studied previously and for an additional 362 exposed workers not studied previously. Cause specific mortality comparisons were made using United States white male, age, and calendar year adjusted rates. Total mortality was observed to have been significantly below expectation, and this was particularly evident for deaths from accidental causes. Mortality from skin cancer was significantly raised, although there were no unusual or common characteristics among the affected individuals which would suggest a link with exposure to benzene. A non-significant excess of total deaths from leukaemia was noted based on four observed cases; however, all four were myelogenous leukaemias and this represented a significant excess in that subcategory. These and other deaths of possible interest are reviewed in detail. Analyses by work area, duration of exposure, and cumulative dose index did not show patterns suggestive of a causal association between exposure to benzene and any particular cause of death.

Cause specific mortality among employees engaged in the manufacture, formulation, or packaging of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and related salts.

Mortality is reported to the end of 1982 for 878 chemical workers potentially exposed to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at any time between 1945 and 1983. Observed mortality was compared with expected levels based on adjusted rates for United States white men and for other male employees from this manufacturing location who were not exposed to 2,4-D. Because of a recently reported increased incidence of astrocytomas in male rats fed the highest dose level of 2,4-D, special attention was given to deaths from brain neoplasms in the cohort. None was observed. The absence of an increased risk of brain cancer in people exposed to 2,4-D is supported by studies of other exposed populations and those studies are briefly reviewed. Moreover, in the present study, analyses by production area, duration of exposure, and cumulative dose showed no patterns suggestive of a causal association between 2,4-D exposure and any other particular cause of death.

Incidence of chloracne among chemical workers potentially exposed to chlorinated dioxins.

Company medical charts were reviewed for 2192 chemical workers who were potentially exposed to chlorinated dioxins during 1940 to 1982 to determine whether they were ever diagnosed as having chloracne. Nearly 16% of the 2072 workers with medical records were found to have been so affected. The incidence of chloracne was noted to have been highest among the youngest workers, and among those who worked in the production of chlorinated phenols rather than with products derived from those materials. Chloracne incidence was found to increase with several measures of intensity and cumulative dose of tetra- and hexa- to octachlorinated dioxins, but these analyses were hampered somewhat by the limitations of both the exposure and medical outcome data.

Morbidity among employees engaged in the manufacture or formulation of chlorpyrifos.

The prevalence of selected illnesses and symptoms during 1977-85 was compared between 175 employees potentially exposed to the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos and 335 matched controls with no history of exposure to organophosphates. Subjects were subdivided into three exposure intensity groups on the basis of job title and air monitoring data for dose response testing. This classification scheme was shown roughly to correlate with plasma cholinesterase inhibition in the workers. No statistically significant differences in illness or prevalence of symptoms were observed between the exposed and unexposed groups or among the three exposure subgroups. Potentially exposed employees did report symptoms of dizziness and of malaise and fatigue relatively more often than subjects from the comparison group; however, further analyses by exposure level, process area, or time did not support a relation with exposure. No cases of peripheral neuropathy were seen among the exposed workers. Although the sample size was small and the statistical power limited, the cumulative exposures likely to have been experienced by this workforce exceed those to be expected for individuals using the product as recommended. The absence of exposure related adverse effects, including neurological impairment, is reassuring.

Evaluation of mortality patterns among chemical workers with chloracne

Abstract The mortality patterns of 322 chemical workers with clinically diagnosed chloracne were evaluated. No excesses in All Causes or Malignant Neoplasms were identified.